Another WOF inspector bites the dust

Patrick Ah Wong and Super Cheap Tyres & Auto Services Ltd have both been suspended following a long history of non-compliance. The NZ Transport Agency
will contact all 2,443 affected vehicle owners individually as soon as possible to advise them on recheck options. Vouchers for new WOF checks will
be provided.

The NZTA said it is “unaware of specific concerns relating to individual vehicles, however, due to the poor quality of Mr Ah Wong’s inspections there
is a possibility that some vehicles may have been incorrectly passed.

“For this reason, we strongly encourage people who have a current Warrant of Fitness issued by Mr Ah Wong to get their vehicle rechecked.”

Other newly-released documents reveal the NZTA has allowed iffy brake tests to happen for years.

Last week Orient Motors on Auckland’s North Shore was suspended from issuing WOFs, with the certification officer finding the Tapley brake meter had
expired as well as unused high-beam testing equipment.

However, these things were discovered three years prior, when the NZTA found the WOF inspectors at Orient to be unsafe and incompetent. At the time,
the agency issued a warning, which went unheeded.

"Reviews have outlined that the inspections completed are of a poor standard and pose a risk to vehicle safety, e.g. poor steering, suspension and
brake checks," the agency's certifier wrote.

NZ Autocar is New Zealand's leading automotive magazine. Delivering news and authoritative reviews from the car world each month, it includes commentary from NZ's leading automotive writers and covers the full scope of motoring including new cars, fast cars, classics and motorcycles.